Re: Aluminum magnet wire?

• To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
• Subject: Re: Aluminum magnet wire?
• From: "Robert W. Stephens" <rwstephens-at-hurontario-dot-net> (by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>)
• Date: Sat, 18 Sep 1999 12:17:00 -0600
• Approved: twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net
• Delivered-To: fixup-tesla-at-pupman-dot-com-at-fixme

Tesla List wrote:
> 
> Original Poster: BunnyKiller <bigfoo39-at-idt-dot-net>
> 
> Tesla List wrote:
> 
> > Original Poster: Aric_C_Rothman-at-email.whirlpool-dot-com
> >
> >      Is aluminum magnet wire an acceptable substitute for copper magnet
> >      wire in a secondary?
> >
> >      Aric
> 
>   hmmmmmm ....   this is a first but I would go for copper   :)
> 
> Scot D

Aric,

I bought a huge brand new 80 lB of #24 AWG aluminum magnet wire quite a
long while ago at a scrap dealer. There's somthing like 120,000 feet on
it. I wound a coil about 20" long on 4-14 inch PVC pipe for a NST
powered tabletop coil.  I also had a similar sized coil on the same size
form wound with #26 enamelled copper magnet wire to make direct
comparisons. The performance with the aluminum wire coil was noticeably
inferior!  I wouldn't use it if I were you.  Also, aluminum wire doesn't
solder worth a darn so you have to device crimp or pressure type
connectors, like wrapping it under a machine screw.

However...the aluminum magnet wire is perfect for winding RF protection
chokes!  The losses end up making a better choke for protecting NST's
IMO.

Robert W. Stephens

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